FISHES. MCCTJLLOCH. 151 



Solander's notes were based on a specimen captured on 

 December 9th, 1769, during his voyage to Australian waters 

 with Captain Cook. According to Cook's Journal edited by 

 Wharton 1 , the " Endeavour " lay off Doubtless Bay in the north 

 of New Zealand on that date, and he noted that " the natives 



came off to the ship and sold us fish of different 



sorts sufficient to give all hands a little." 



Through the kindness of Mr. J. A. Kershaw, I have been 

 enabled to examine an authentic specimen of Thyrsites 

 micropus, McCoy, in the National Museum, Melbourne. It 

 is stuffed, and measures 785 mm. from the snout to the end of 

 the middle caudal rays. It was received from Tasmania in 

 January, 1873, and was identified by Professor McCoy ; no 

 other specimen bearing his label being known, it may be 

 regarded as the type of his species. It does not differ from 

 the specimen here identified as J. solandri, though the pos- 

 terior rays of the dorsal and anal fins have become more or 

 less separated from the others in drying, on account of which 

 McCoy counted six and four finlets in these fins. 



Nine specimens, 295-560 mm. long, exhibit but little 

 variation in the construction of their fins. The posterior 

 spine of the first dorsal is sometimes very small, and the two 

 anterior rays of the second dorsal and anal are not always 

 easily detected. The posterior dorsal and anal rays are more 

 widely spaced than the others, their condition being better 

 shown by Siiyder in his figure of /. raptor ia z than by Waite's 

 illustration of Rexea furcifera. I count them as follows : 

 D. xviii., 2/16-17+2 ; A. 2/14-15+2. 



J. solandri is closely allied to the Japanese J. raptoria, but 

 differs in having a smaller eye and a broader interorbital 

 w r idth. The ventrals are apparently better developed in the 

 younger stages, and the lateral line is sinuoiis posteriorly 

 instead of straight. 



LOGS. According to Johnston, this species was exceedingly 

 abundant in Tasmania, but it has since become so rare that 

 none are now brought into the markets at Hobart. The 

 ' Endeavour " obtained it at the following localities : 



Edge of bank between Gabo Island and Cape Everard, 

 Victoria, 150-250 fathoms. 



Eighteen miles east of Babel Island, Bass Strait ; August, 

 1911. 



Eastern edge of Bass Strait, 100-220 fathoms ; December, 

 1912. 



1. Wharton Captain Cook's Journal, 1893, p. 170. 



2. Snycler Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlii., 1912, pi. lii., fig. 2. 



